Rod coupling



Aug' 5, 1930. F. x: ANDERsN l 1,772,174

ROD COUPLING Filed Nov. 25, 1925 Fay-1 Patented Aug. 5, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i FRANK E. ANDERSON, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOBHLOTHE COLUMBUS SUCKER ROD COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OI-IIO, A ,CORPORATION OFOHIO 'Ron' coUrLrNG l' Application led November My invention relates torod couplings of the class used to detachably fasten the abut- I tingends of a series of metal rods in assembling the rods into a string, asfor example, in forming sectional sucker rods for usein pumping deepwells, such as oil Wells.

The depth of such wells is constantly increasing, which necessitateslonger strings of the sucker rod sections. The small crosssection of thecasing used in such wells limits the transverse dimensions of the rodsand couplings and, on account of the increased length ofthe strings,because of thegreat depth to which wells,particularly oil wells,

are now drilled, metalrods have, to an increasingly large extent,replaced the long used strings formed of metal tipped wooden suckerrods.

The weight of the rods forming a modern 2o string has reached the pointthat the ordinary couplings yused in assembling the rod sections into astring frequently fail. l Having a coupling fail in a string of 1500 to3000 feet or more in length while it is suspended within a wellgenerally results in long delays in the pumping operations and greatexpense in removing the lower portion of the broken sucker rods.rvOnefobject of my invention is to provide a rod or coupling of improvedconstruction and having novel means whereby the rods of a series aredetachably connected, end to end, into a string in a strongVv andefficient mannel.'

,3,5 The invention consists' primarily in a rod coupling of few partsand having novel means whereby the coupling is held against longitudinalmovement on one of the two rods with which it is used in an assembledstring 40 of the rods. f I

Referring now tothe drawings forming part of this specification, Figure1 isa sectional plan showing the abutting ends of two rods as connectedby couplings made inl accordance with my invention'.v Y.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken *onl the line III-III of FigureFigure 4 is a sectional plan similar to. ure 1, showing a modified formof coupling 2.5, 1925. serial No. 71,339.

embodying my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, the coupling, which is designated as awhole by the numeral 2, is shown as assembled in connecting endwise theabutting ends of two comparatively long metal rods 3. 'VEach of the rods3,'which are'round incross-section, has cylindrical enlargements 4 and 5formed on its ends. The enlarged abutting ends of each nod 3, which areintegrally formed on the rods by upsetting or other known manner, areseated within the longitudinal opening .6 in the sleeve 7 of thecoupling 2. VThe Vopening 6 has internal threads 8 by which theexternally threaded gland 9 is secured to the sleeve in fastening two ofthe rod sections 3, 3 in endwise alinement. The other or unthreaded endofthe sleeve 6 has a smaller opening 10, of a vsize to make` av slidinglit on the rod 3,'v'vhich is of circular cross-section and which extendsthroughv the opening or hole 10. A similar axial opening 11 is providedin the gland 9 through whichthe other rod 3 extends. The'outer orunthreaded end f 12 vof the glandl 9 is ofpolygonal cross-secL tion,generally hexagonal, tov enable the gland `to be readily screwed intoand out ofthe 'coupling sleeve 6 by means of a wrench. AThe 'i As theenlarged ends; and 5 are integrally formed'on the rods 3, a couplingsleeve 7 and a gland 9 must be put onxeach krod'r3 before thes'econdofthe twofenlarged ends Aband 5 is kformed-and' afterward can not beremoved. The weight of the lseries of rods forming the's'ucker rod asnow used,in many cases is so4 great that in time the enlargements 4f and5'tend to-fups'et and thereby enlarge. This upsettingV ordinarily occurson the end lll of the enlargements. On that account the enlargements and5 preferably-are madeof a diameter to neatly lit within the unthreaded:portion o-f the opening-16 inthe sleeve 7, and' .thefithreaded end ofthe l gland 9 has an unthreaded cylindrical portion 15 of a diameter toneatly tit and extend into the *unloo'r rif] threaded part of theopening. In this Way;

the internal threads in the sleeve 7 do not contact with the adjacentcylindrical enlargement 5 on the end of the rods 3 and any tendency ofthe enlargements to upset is opposed by the smooth surface of thecontacting Wall of the opening 6.

When connecting the couplings in assembling a string of sucker rods, theassembled portion of the string hangs suspended inthe well and when thesleeve 7 andgland 9 are both loose upon the rods one of these membersfrequently slips and slides downwardly on the uppermost sucker rodwithin the well. When this occurs it becomes necessary to lift the lastor upper sectionof thev partly assembled string of rods in order toreach the sleeve or gland which has slid to the lower end of the rod. p

In order to prevent such occurrences and the consequent delays,provision is made on my improved coupling for detachably'securing toone'end of each rod 3 the sleeve 7 In suoli case the sleeve end of eachrod will be its upper end in assembling the string. rlhe meanspreferably employed in fastening the sleeve to the rodcomprises a piny16 which is' inserted in a transverse hole 17 extending through thewall of the sleeve 7. This hole is advantageously located so thatsemi-circular grooves 18 in the abutting faces of the enlargedends 4 and5 of the rods 3 encircle the .pin 16 as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3.The pin 16 preferably will be tapered and of a length equal to the outerdiameter of the sleever7. (See Figure 3). By thus terminating the pin 16within the sleeve 7 there are no projecting ends to catch on the wellcasing, and, further, the pin is less liable to become accidentallyloosenedV by striking the wellA casing or other objects.

Another way of fastening the sleeve Vto one' end of the rods 3, as isshown in Figure 4, is to thread the enlargement 4 on each rod 3 andprovide internal threads over the entire length of the recess 6 in thesleeve 7. In this construction the threads need not be turned off theinner end of the'glandA 9.y n

In ,-the construction of Figure 4, the rods 3, sleeve 2, and Vglandgotherwise are the same asin Figures 1, 2, and-3.`

, The advantages of amy invention willbe apparent to those skilled intheart.

Many modifications may be made in the construction ofthecouplingswithout departing from my invention as deiinedin the ap# pendedclaims,l The rods may be tubularinsteadof solid bars. The couplingsleeve may he hexagonal: in crossfsection insteadof cylinf 1.11m maY@taping-,1 u1@ Combination with, o

straight side faces and straight parallel end faces, of a couplingcomprising a hollow counterbored and internally threaded onepiece sleevein which the enlarged abutting heads on said rods are seated, the boreof said sleeve being substantially equal to then diameter of said headsso as to form a snug fit with said heads, a gland screwed into saidsleeve and having its inner end in engagement with the head on one ofsaid rods to secure the heads on said rods in endwise engagement witheach other, and means within the outline of said sleeve for preventingVlengthwise movement of said sleeve on the rod on which it is mounted.

2. vIn a rod coupling, the combination with a pair of solid rods havingalined, abutting ends, said abutting ends being upset to form integralenlarged heads, said heads having straight side faces and straightparallel end faces, of a coupling comprising a hollow counterbored. andinternally threaded onepiecel sleeve in which thel enlarged abuttingVprojecting inwardly beyond the internalV threads in said sleeve so as topermit the enlarged heads to be located wholly in the -unthreadedportion of said sleeve, said 'sleeve being provided with alined holesand said enlarged heads having their abutting end `faces provided withsemi-circular grooves, and aV pin mounted in said holesand said groovesand terminating within the outline of said sleeve, vsaid pin beingadapted toY prevent said sleeve moving longitudinally on the rodonwhich'it` is mounted, and to prevent turning onsaidrods. w 'W In'testimony whereof, I havehereunto signed my name. -f

v .FRANK n. ANnnRsoN.

